Cancer patients, after coming to grips with their diagnosis and forming a battle plan, often wonder “how did I get cancer” or “what caused my cancer?” We are learning more about what causes cancer. More is known about the cause of some forms of cancer than others. For example, everyone now knows that cigarette smoking (and second-hand exposure to smoke) causes lung cancer. We are past mere associations and can say definitively that there is cause and effect between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
Similarly, the virus causing cervical cancer has been identified and should be tested for regularly in woman. There are associations between many cancers and inflammatory conditions: lung cancer and cigarette smoke; liver cancer and hepatitis; Malt lymphoma and stomach cancer and Helicobacter pylori; colon and rectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease; cervical cancer and Papillomavirus; and mesothelioma and asbestos are some examples.
With respect to blood cancer, the answer often is less clear. It is difficult to say what caused lymphoma in any individual person. There is evidence suggesting associations between some lymphomas and environmental and occupational exposures to some chemicals, including: benzene; petrochemicals and combustion by-products (such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soot); some pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides (such as Agent Orange used in Vietnam); hair dyes, polychlorinated biphenyls, and solvents (such as styrene, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene). The associations are stronger in some instances than in others. Benzene appears to be a significant culprit. People who suffer from some auto-immune disorders (such as Sorgen’s Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and Lupus) may be at a higher risk of developing some lymphomas than people who do not suffer from these disorders. Recipients of organ transplants also are more likely to develop lymphoma as are people with AIDS.
Even items intended to heal people may cause lymphoma. For example, there are associations between some prescription medicines—such as TNF Blockers—and lymphoma. Cancer treatments—such as chemotherapy and radiation—may cause some lymphomas as well. We know that some leukemias are the result of prior cancer treatments. Hardly a week goes without a news report about possible links between diet and cancer.
Lymphomas are not contagious. But exposure to some bacteria and viruses causes some lymphomas. Epstein-Barr virus, for example, is linked to the endemic type of Burkitt’s lymphoma in Africa. In Western Countries, a very high percentage of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma have or had Epstein-Barr virus. Helicobacter pylori and Hepatitis C are also associated with some lymphomas. Simply stated, there are associations between exposures to toxins, viruses, and other substances and some lymphomas.
We know that there is more to the equation than exposures to toxins and viruses. After all, many people exposed to these agents do not get lymphoma and many people with lymphoma do not have known exposures to these agents. Our immune system plays a critical role in defeating cancer and lymphoma actually is cancer of the immune system. This is why understanding what causes lymphoma is critically important not only for lymphoma, but also for unlocking the mysteries to other cancers and other diseases. This is one of the many reasons why we say that lymphoma research is the super highway to curing cancer.
Usually, when we discuss cancer research, the focus is on developing new and more efficacious treatments. But another critical aspect of cancer research involves the epidemiology of cancer—or the investigation into the causes of cancer. Understanding what causes cancer provides important insights into how to prevent cancer. It also fosters the development of better treatments. Fortunately, there are dedicated researchers around the globe investigating the causes of lymphoma. More importantly, they are working collaboratively—sharing their discoveries, statistics, and insights. Such collaborative efforts benefit all of us by hastening the pace of medical advancement.
The International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph) is an international group of leading medical investigators engaged in research on the epidemiology of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We recently interviewed three such dedicated researchers on the Battling and Beating Cancer Radio Show and you can listen to that interview on demand at www.blogtalkradio.com/battling-and-beating-cancer.
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